Week Six

@sdo_mlt with her doe

@writinghuntress

Where to start, where to start. This was the week I had been looking forward to for a long time, the week I was scheduled to film with Rudy @Huntography for this year’s documentary. I had Thursday and Friday off for filming then Saturday was opening day of muzzle loader.  I am not talent, no real desire to be on camera but was honored to have been included in a group of hunters that many people look up to as how it should be done.

I kept checking the weather to see what we would be dealing with. One of the two things I was dreading was bad weather moving in on us, guess what. The first day of filming a fast moving front was coming through dropping temps and rain just about lunchtime. I was hoping it would get in and out so we could get in an afternoon hunt then clear up Friday. This was the forecast but not the reality.

Rudy rolled in at 12:34 Thursday morning and after getting settled we both managed maybe 2 hours of sleep, got up and drove an hour and fifteen minutes to Jump Off to hunt the mountain. Once there we did manage to see one little doe which I passed on before the storms started moving in. The afternoon hunt was rained out just as we got settled into the trees on the Beasley farm down the road. Friday was cold, windy and nothing moved, not a squirrel, chipmunk, nothing morning or afternoon. Rudy looked at his schedule and found out he had time to go on opening morning with me so we got ready for muzzle loader Saturday.

We hunted a spot I have only been to twice this year but we had a heavy fog and cold. Not long after settling in we had 3 does come in but got busted when I tried to get his attention. Later we had a doe run in but she heard him clear his throat and was gone. Then I saw something coming in through the fog and thought it was a coyote at first, it turned out to be a nice buck. He came in and stopped broadside at 50 yards, chip shot. The fog was still bad, bad enough I could see good main beams but couldn’t count the points. I got the scope settled, pulled the trigger and heard him fall. As I waited for Rudy to come around to where I was I looked to see the buck start to move, I reloaded then was amazed as he stood up. I got to a spot and took a second shot but was a bit high and missed. The buck walked a few yards, straightened up then took off like nothing had happened. We searched for hours and never found a hair or drop of blood it was like he never existed.

After talking to several others and replaying the shot I’m certain I hit just a bit high where there is nothing vital. The bullet shocked him enough to paralyze him for a minute then he was on his feet and gone. Absolutely the weirdest shot I have had on a deer and the second thing I was dreading about being on camera, losing one. Maybe more on this later but don’t want to spoil Rudy’s movie.

We headed back home a bit down to get Rudy headed to Arkansas for the next part of the #deertour. I hope he had a good time because I will never forget a great 2 ½ days with a cool guy. He rolled out oddly enough at 12:34 Saturday for an 8 hour drive. Now for the months of waiting to see the finished #Deertour DVD.

On to what some of the other folks got this week. I have seen some good posts and am going to try to add more pics this week, I am a bit behind so will add a few to try to catch up.

 As I write this @skinnyDman is searching for a big 10 pt he shot this afternoon. @Mandy_W30 got a doe. @HunterGe0rge got a nice turkey. @carrybarlowe took a nice buck and a coyote out west. @DroptineAvery’s Dad, Sean, took a nice buck. @GoosedownGC got a doe. @sdo_mlt got a doe with her bow. @turkeythompson got a great buck. @kennysimpson took a buck. @donohew19 took a great one last Saturday and I have a pic but it turns sideways every time I try to load it. @rhbowhunter took a stud of a buck with his bow. @first lightgear got called in to find a friend’s buck. @nbk_bowhunter took a monster with a bow.

@carrybarlowe

@DroptineAvery Dad took this dandy

@firstlightgear found this one for his buddy

@GoosedownGC got a doe

@HunterGe0rge

@nbk_bowhunter

@rhbowhunter

@turkeythompson

@donohew19


I have been so busy this last week that I am listing things that I hope were taken this week but if not oh well. I know all were taken within the last 2 weeks and I might have missed them so here they are. Congrats to everyone and I’m sorry if I missed you. If I did remind me so I can add it in next week, this is about you, I want folks to see how you are doing.

Hope everyone is having a great season, good luck, be safe and wear you harness.